Have you ever read a story and thought, “I can do better than this.” Then you realize the story had over a million views. Then you decide that you should jump into that bandwagon.
I set up a Wattpad profile after hearing about it on a podcast. (The Creative Pen.) It sounded like a new Kiwibox, except on mobile and without the games.
Back when all the kids were chatting on AOL instant messenger, my friends found this website called Kiwibox. It was a place for amateur writers to post their stuff. It also had a well-done web games section.
So while my talented, awesome friends worked in their stories, practiced and got feedback, I played internet pool.
Now that I’m more mature about it, I realize I was somewhat jealous. Not consciously, but I’m the back in my addled teenage brain I wanted to write and publish too. I just didn’t have any ideas for stories. Nor did I have the discipline to write.
I’m still not sure about that discipline, but I’ve got a notebook with 97 pages of story ideas so far. (Yeah, I’m one of those people who write page numbers in a spiral notebook and leave space for a table of contents in the front.)
But I digress.
After discovering Wattpad, I made a profile and started reading. A ton. Some of the stuff is brilliantly original. Some of the material is well written if cliche.
It’s a beautiful place where you aren’t writing for money. You can try different things and see what people respond to. It’s lovely.
After several months of this, I decided to write something. Not the book from NaNo 2017 I’m still editing. (It’s a scary trainwreck and progress is slow )
I started a story with a brilliant idea about a series of letters from a missing girl to her friend that were never sent, but she replies like there were letters sent back. Her sister finds these and asks the friend for help. It was going to be full of conspiracy theories, mental health concerns, and littered with clues to what really happened.
As I sat down to type it all out on my phone, I realized that was way too complex to throw up as a rough draft on Wattpad. It needs all sorts of help before making sense. So instead I started writing a Cinderella retelling. Except Prince Charming is an idiot and picks the wrong girl. (Because what sorry idiot uses a shoe as the only clue to find their one true love? I mean even hair and eye color would have helped.)
So I write. I create fun cover art. I try writing a blurb. And it’s exciting!
Yay!! Stuff for the world to see!!
Now here’s the trick to telling whether or not you’re an optimist.
My stores have 0 views. Not one person has even read the first chapter. But I still check every day. Nothing. For months.
Maybe tomorrow someone will read it. Maybe not. Maybe I’ll have seven stories complete before even the first view. And that’s okay.
Because writing is practice. The more I do, the better I get. Even if nobody ever reads anything I put up, that’s fine.
If I really want someone to read something I write, I’ll trick my cousin into beta reading NaNo 2017 after I edit it. (I really need to name it. The working title makes no sense for the story.)
Anyway. Thank you for finishing my ponderings. If you want to read my stuff you can find it under ElenaLandis on Wattpad.
If you find yourself in the same boat, drop a comment with your username. I’d love to check it your work too!!
Happy July Camp Nano, everyone. I hope your project is coming along. Even if you don’t win, you still started. And that deserves to be celebrated. 😘
The Strange Writings of Elena Landis 